Outlandish
and Illegal: Hindu prayers in government schools
By Rajindar Sachar

Any impression among woolly headed liberals that the BJP, realising that India
being multi-religious and multi-lingual can play an effective role in the world
only if it can give a sense of equal participation o the minorities, would surely
have been dispelled by observing the BJP's chauvinistic stance in the matter
of school songs.

With the Saraswati Vandana
incident at the Education Ministers' Conference culminating in the UP Government's
proposal that every student in a government school must participate in its singing
the BJP's game of divisive politics is becoming clear, its protestations about
the country's unity and integrity notwithstanding.

Now, so far as Saraswati
Vandana is concerned, there can be no doubt that it is a prayer to a goddess,
albeit of learning. An average Hindu, even one not believing in idol worship,
may not feel the discordance in participating in a Saraswati Vandana too seriously
because of his normal surroundings. But to force a Muslim child to sing in praise
of a Hindi Goddess is an act which goes against the very core of his religion,
namely, idol worship, amounting to gross interference with his fundamental of
the Constitution which guarantee the freedom to practice one's religion.

Hindu reformer and Vedic
scholar Swami Dayanand -- whom Romain Rolland described as a thinker of action
and a hero of The Iliad or the Gita, and who was of the firm view that unless
amongst other the evil practice of idol worship, (emphasis mine) was given up
there was no hope for Hindu society -- would have reacted even more strongly
than many Muslim organisations.

It is well known that even
as a child he revolted and refused to accept Siva idol or any idol as an object
of worship. In 1876, Rev. Lucas asked Swamiji what his answer would be if he
were marched to a cannon and told that unless he prostrated himself before an
idol, he would be blown to pieces. Swamiji promptly replied he would say "Blow
away".

Is it a surprise that Muslims
should react so strongly to this provocative action of the BJP government? RSS
ideologue Sudarshan's outpouring about anyone opposing the Saraswati Vandana
not being a son of India, and the equally obnoxious arrogance of the remarks
of UP ministers and the Sant Samaj that the national loyalty of those refusing
to sing the Saraswati Vandana is doubtful, is a sure recipe for communal bitterness.
It shows the unmistakable resemblance of the RSS ideology to Nazism.

Let me remind these self-projected,
smug pseudo patriots that the first person in independent India who excelled
in patriotism, and laid down his life while defending Kashmir was my Muslim
compatriot Abdul Majid.

In may view a compulsion
to sing the Saraswati Vandana would violate the fundamental rights under Article
19 (1) (a) and Article 25, not only of Muslim students but also of Hindu, Buddhist
and Jain students who have a conscientious objection to idol worship. Article
25 which guarantees freedom of conscience and the right to practice religion,
is in the words of the Supreme Court in Emmanuels' case "an article of
faith in the Constitution, incorporated in recognition of the principle that
the real test of a true democracy is the ability of even an insignificant minority
to find its identity under the country's Constitution.

The question is not whether
a particular religious belief or practice appeals to our reason or sentiment
but whether the belief is genuinely and conscientiously held as part of the
profession or practice of religion. Our personal views and reactions are irrelevant.
If the belief is genuinely and conscientiously held it attracts the protection
of Article 25.

Compulsion in Schools for
flag saluting, or singing Saraswati Vandana or any other song do not by themselves
instill patriotism, rather "the deepest patriotism is best engendered by
giving unfettered scope to the most crotchety beliefs".

The BJP is indulging in
this deliberately divisive policy while couching it in this deliberately divisive
policy while couching it in the innocuous language of national unity and cultural
affinity. This is deception and one may echo what Justice Stone of the USA said:
"History teaches us that there have been but few infringements of personal
liberty by the state which have not been justified, as they are here, in the
name of righteousness and the public good, and few of which have not been directed,
as they are now, at politically helpless minorities".

Tested on the broader issue
of no compulsion in schools, even introducing Vande Mataram may be subject of
debate, same as Bipan chandra, noted historian with an unimpeachable commitment
to secularism, that Vande Mataram is not a religious song. With this statement
Syed Shahabuddin also agrees. I can still recollect the inspired sight of thousands
of freedom fighters who fell to British bullets chanting Vande Mataram. I had
always understood Vande Mataram to mean salutation to the motherland.

As a matter of fact, in
Bankim Chandra's Anand Math from where Vande Mataram has been taken, the protagonist
specifically says that the reference to mother is to the country, the motherland.
But then as respected chairman of the Muslim Personal Law Board, have objected
to the singing of Vande Mataram, the matter should be examined in a mutually
accommodating spirit.

I would in these circumstances
suggest the constitution of a committee of Muslim scholars and reputed historians
to consider the question dispassionately to avoid any unnecessary misunderstanding
and stain. I am, of course, doubtful whether the BJP government would agree
to this because one of its political-strategic planks is anti-minoritism, whether
against Muslims or Christians.